International
The US has a “clear interest” in preventing the fragmentation of Syria and stopping the Islamic State
The Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, said on Monday that his country has a “clear interest” in preventing the “fragmentation” of Syria and stopping a resurgence of the terrorist group Islamic State (IS).
“This moment presents a historic opportunity, but it also carries considerable risks,” the head of US diplomacy said about Syria during an event at the State Department.
Blinken, who described the fall of President Bashar al-Asad as a “defeat” of his allies in Iran, Hezbula and Russia, stressed that “the Syrian people have to be the one who chooses their path and their future.”
He also announced that senior State Department officials have been deployed in the region to analyze the situation with key actors and allies.
“We have a clear interest in doing what we can to avoid the fragmentation of Syria, massive migrations from Syria and, of course, the export of terrorism and extremism from the region to the world,” he stressed.
Blinken also said that the United States has a “strong interest” in preventing a resurgence of IS “given the death and destruction it has caused for so long,” as well as “ensuring that any weapons of mass destruction that remain in Syria do not fall into the wrong hands.”
The head of US diplomacy said that it is “imperative” that human rights in Syria are respected, especially of vulnerable minorities, and that state institutions be preserved.
In that sense, he said that the latest statements of the rebel leaders are “welcome,” but stressed that actions are more important than words.
The Pentagon watches that IS does not take advantage of the collapse
For his part, the head of the Pentagon, Lloyd Austin, warned on Monday that IS could take advantage of the collapse of the Al Asad government in Syria to reorganize.
“As this develops, there is the potential that elements in the area, such as the Islamic State, will try to take advantage of this opportunity and regain capacity,” Austin said in statements from Japan aboard the ship USS George Washington.
Austin was also “surprised” that “the opposition forces advanced as fast as they did.”
“I think everyone expected to see a much firmer resistance from Al Assad’s forces,” he said.
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, said last weekend that Washington’s immediate priority is to prevent the resurgence of the Islamic State, which in 2014 came to control vast areas of Syria and Iraq, in which it proclaimed a “caliphate.”
With this objective, US forces carried out a dozen airstrikes in central Syria on Sunday, reaching 75 targets linked to the terrorist group, according to the Pentagon.
The United States has 900 soldiers deployed in Syria, who will remain in the region as part of the international coalition against IS in order to prevent the jihadist group from taking advantage of the situation to reorganize.
Biden’s advisor travels to Israel with a focus on Gaza and Syria
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will travel to Israel this week to hold talks with senior Israeli officials focused on negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the situation in Syria after the fall of the Al-Assad government.
According to a White House spokesman to EFE, Sullivan will address with senior Israeli officials “a variety of important issues, including efforts to achieve the release of hostages and a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the latest events in Syria, as well as tensions around Lebanon and Iran.”
Biden announced this weekend that he will send several officials to the region to evaluate the next steps in Syria and that he himself will hold telephone conversations with the leaders of Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Israel, neighboring countries of Syria.
Sullivan’s trip will be the first official visit of a high-ranking US official publicly announced since the insurgent coalition led by the Levant Liberation Organization (HTS) took control of Damascus.
HTS, which split in 2016 from the Al-Qaeda subsidiary of the Nusra Front, is designated by the United States as a terrorist organization.
International
Paraguay summons Brazilian ambassador over Itaipú espionage scandal
Paraguay summoned the Brazilian ambassador in Asunción on Tuesday to demand “explanations” and called its own representative in Brasília for consultations following Brazil’s acknowledgment of an espionage operation. The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, attributed the operation to the previous administration.
The surveillance effort aimed to uncover Paraguay’s position in now-suspended negotiations with Brazil regarding the pricing of electricity from the binational Itaipú hydroelectric plant, according to reports in the Brazilian press.
The Brazilian government “categorically denied any involvement in the intelligence operation,” stating in a Foreign Ministry communiqué on Monday that the espionage was carried out under former President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration (2019-2023).
“The operation was authorized by the previous government in June 2022 and was annulled by the interim director of the (state intelligence agency) ABIN on March 27, 2023, as soon as the current administration became aware of it,” Brazil’s government asserted.
Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez announced that Brazilian Ambassador José Antonio Marcondes de Carvalho was summoned “to provide detailed explanations” regarding the operation. Additionally, Paraguay recalled its diplomatic representative in Brasília “to report on aspects related to the intelligence activity conducted by Brazil regarding Paraguay’s government affairs.”
International
Elon Musk to step down as government advisor, per Trump insiders
President Donald Trump has informed his inner circle that Elon Musk will be stepping down from his role as a government advisor, according to a report by Politico today.
Citing three individuals close to Trump, Politico states that the president is pleased with Musk’s leadership at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he has implemented significant budget cuts. However, both have agreed that it is time for Musk to return to his businesses and support Trump from a different position outside the government.
A senior administration official told Politico that Musk will likely maintain an informal advisory role and continue to be an occasional visitor to the White House. Another source warned that anyone thinking Musk will completely disappear from Trump’s circle is “deluding themselves.”
According to the sources, this transition is expected to coincide with the end of Musk’s tenure as a “special government employee,” a temporary status that exempts him from certain ethics and conflict-of-interest regulations. This 130-day period is set to expire in late May or early June.
International
Milei vows to make Argentina so strong that Falkland Islanders “choose” to join
Argentine President Javier Milei reaffirmed his country’s claim over the Falkland Islands (known as the Islas Malvinas in Argentina) and praised the role of the nation’s armed forces during a ceremony marking the “Veterans and Fallen Soldiers of the Malvinas War Day,” commemorating 43 years since the 1982 conflict with the United Kingdom.
Argentina continues to assert sovereignty over the islands, arguing that Britain unlawfully seized them in 1833.
“If sovereignty over the Malvinas is the issue, we have always made it clear that the most important vote is the one cast with one’s feet. We hope that one day, the Malvinas residents will choose to vote with their feet and join us,” Milei stated.
“That is why we aim to become a global power—so much so that they would prefer to be Argentine, making deterrence or persuasion unnecessary. This is why we have embarked on a path of liberation, working to make Argentina the freest country in the world and once again the nation with the highest GDP per capita on the planet,” he added.
Guatemalan police officer killed in mob riots over baby kidnapping
Venezuela investigates 18 baseball players seeking asylum in Spain
Paraguay summons Brazilian ambassador over Itaipú espionage scandal
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Ecuador prison riot leaves at least 43 dead
-
International4 days agoSon of journalist José Rubén Zamora condemns father’s return to prison as “illegal”
-
International4 days agoMiyazaki’s style goes viral with AI but at what cost?
-
Central America3 days agoPanama police clarifies that Interpol alert for Martinelli is still pending
-
Central America2 days agoU.S. Homeland Security Secretary urges Mexico to strengthen Guatemala border
-
International2 days agoTrump urges Putin to reach peace deal
-
Central America2 days agoPanama grants Martinelli 72-hour extension to travel to Nicaragua
-
International3 days agoDeportation flight lands in Venezuela; government denies criminal gang links
-
International15 hours agoParaguay summons Brazilian ambassador over Itaipú espionage scandal
-
Sports15 hours agoFilipe Luis debuts as coach in Copa Libertadores with Flamengo
-
Central America12 hours agoGuatemalan police officer killed in mob riots over baby kidnapping
-
International15 hours agoMilei vows to make Argentina so strong that Falkland Islanders “choose” to join
-
International15 hours agoICE agent’s arrest of suspect sparks controversy in Boston
-
International15 hours agoElon Musk to step down as government advisor, per Trump insiders
-
Sports15 hours agoVenezuela investigates 18 baseball players seeking asylum in Spain
-
International15 hours agoÓscar Arias: Trump’s trade policies are a step backward